1. Technical Field
The present invention generally pertains to motor vehicles and more particularly to a latching mechanism for a vehicle door.
2. Discussion
In various types of motor vehicles, including minivans, delivery vans, and the like, it has become common practice to provide the vehicle body with a relatively large side openings that are located immediately behind the front doors which are opened and closed with a sliding door. The sliding door is typically mounted with hinges on horizontal tracks on the vehicle body for guided sliding movement between a a closed position flush with the vehicle body closing the side opening and an open position located outward of and alongside the vehicle body rearward of the side opening. The sliding door may be operated manually, as is most generally the case or with a power operated system.
One significant drawback of several of the power operated systems heretofore utilized is their inability to close the door in a slow and controlled manner with a device which may be readily interchanged with a completely manual latch mechanism. Typically, these systems rely on complex latching mechanisms which are costly to produce and difficult to integrate into a vehicle relative to their completely mechanical counterparts.
Consequently, there remains a need in the art for an improved power latching mechanism for a vehicle power door system which permits the vehicle door to be closed both manually and in an automated cycle which is less complex and costly to produce and which may readily be integrated into a vehicle in an upgrading manner.